Students to learn the Star Wars way
LUKE Skywalker had to train as a Jedi in a galaxy far, far away – but budding Ulster knights only have to propel themselves to Queen's University to learn the ways of the force.
The 19th century institution is offering the UK's only course in the psychological techniques behind the ancient religion of the Star Wars films.
Entitled Feel the Force: How to train the Jedi way, the workshops also examine the wider issues behind the universe created by George Lucas, such as balance, destiny, dualism, fatherhood and fascism.
Light sabres aren't provided, organisers say.
The university's version of master Yoda is course tutor Allen Baird.
He insists he's not a fanatical Star Wars fan but believes the principles behind the "force" can be used to tackle real-life problems at work and at home.
The 34-year-old said: "A Jedi must battle negative emotions such as anger and fear and we have to confront these 'dark sides' in our personal lives almost on a daily basis.
"I'll be looking at how psychology can help us to control and even turn these feelings to our advantage.
"This isn't just for movie geeks, it's got a serious psychological message."
Allen also feels the Star Wars saga raises questions about modern society, with its focus on tyranny and rebels – which seem especially relevant to Ulster's troubled past.
He added: "The good guys were called 'rebels' because they didn't accept the evil Empire which is portrayed as a bureaucratic machine-dominated system that takes away people's humanity.
"That sounds very similar to our world of high-technology but low empathy. And it raises issues of how ethical it is to resist tyranny and what methods should be used to do it."
The Jedi are so skilled they can read and control the minds of others – and even though Allen can't offer this he can teach his followers how to use body language and words to persuade listeners on a subconscious level.
He reveals his skills stem from his full-time job as a training consultant, where he teaches bosses and employees time management, communication, assertiveness, ethics and "emotional intelligence".
Allen's course is the only one of its kind in the UK and one of the few in the world.
This is despite Jedi Knight having made the official list of religions on the 2001 UK census.
A campaign to get people to write the entry on their Government forms succeeded in the term being included on the list of faiths, alongside Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu.
There are also a handful of far-out "Jedi academies" in America, teaching devotees even more in-depth knowledge of the ways of the force than Allen.
His is only one of more than 300 Open Learning courses on offer at Queen's this autumn and winter.
Others include Understanding the Stockmarket, Who is Jesus?, and one exploring what it takes to win the race for the White House called So You Want to be President?
To begin your quest for the inner hero sign up to Allen's class visit www.qub .ac.uk/edu or call 028 9097 3323 or 3539.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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